Smart grid technologies and applications for the industrial sector

Smart grids have become a topic of intensive research, development, and deployment across the world over the last few years. The engagement of consumer sectors—residential, commercial, and industrial—is widely acknowledged as a key requirement for the projected benefits of smart grids to be realized. Although the industrial sector has traditionally been involved in managing power use with what today would be considered smart grid technologies, these past applications have been one-of-akind, requiring substantial customization. This paper provides an overview of smart grids and of electricity use in the industrial sector. Several smart grid technologies are discussed, with particular focus on the promising topic of automated demand response. Four case studies from aluminum processing, cement manufacturing, food processing, and industrial cooling plants are reviewed. Future directions in the development of interoperable standards, advances in automated demand response, and more dynamic markets are discussed.